DVD Review-Jay & Silent Bob Get Old:Tea Bagging In The UK

As most people know Jay and Silent Bob are the alter egos of Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes. These characters first came into the public eye in a little film back in 1994 called Clerks. Since then these characters have been featured in a few more films, and have become iconic characters for both actors. Kevin and Jason decided to take this popularity on the road for a tour that I am assuming was shot for the podcast they do. The shows last around 75 minutes, and the nature of the shows range from mildly funny to just listen to the two of them go on and on about stories that I assume is entertaining someone. Most of the conversation (no shock) is about either sex, or how fat Kevin is. The first of the shows that are filmed for this dvd was shot in London at the Hammersmith Apollo. To me, this was the funniest of the shows. For some of the dialogue we get little cartoon montages that help with the material. I was a fan of all the Kevin Smith live shows so far, but before I go on about the Manchester set, I will say this is the weakest of all the dvds. The London show was fun and both really seemed to be into it as well, as they went into stories that start off normal enough like the film Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and then go into material that gets very odd and amusing. Mewes is the hyperactive one of the group, and at times he is running around or doing weird sex positions for a laugh, like when he shows people how he and his wife did a 69 when his balls laid on her nose and she could not breathe or talk. If this dvd ended at this show, I would have recommended this dvd.

Jason is at his best though, when he has Kevin to sort of help him out. Jason as proven by the second show in Manchester can get very long winded and no point to his stories, and the worst part they come across as long and boring and just go on and on with no comedy to them. They do this game at the end of the show called â€œlet us fuckâ€ where they pick audience members and Kevin calls the position and Jason and the audience member have to re-enact them for the person to get a free poster. That part is always funny, because Jason hams it up and that is where a character actor like Mewes works his best, when he has people to help him. I love how Kevin always frowns upon the thought of making another Jay and Silent Bob film, but will pull these characters out to make a tour and cash in on the popularity. The material does get a bit redundant towards the start to the end of the second show in Manchester, because the jokes all seem the same and it almost feels more like a spoken word show with glimpses of humor than a full comedy show.

The 3rd show in Edinburgh was more of the same; it really offered nothing new and made me wish that these two guys would just put out another film together. I know this tour was more of a way to keep Jason Mewes clean and sober, and Jason shares so many stories about his addiction and his love of pills that helps his penis stay hard, but after a while you just wish that they would have put more thought into the show and material. It just seems to drag and barely finish. I think even the most diehard Kevin Smith fan would be a little weary by the end of the third show. All in all, this dvd just lacked the creativity we are so used to with Kevin, and felt like it was thrown together at the last second. When you are playing packed out theaters and halls, and you barely ever hear any laughter except for the guys on stage, tells you all you really need to know. I think the big budget Hollywood films made Kevin soft, where he thinks they want him to keep on dumbing himself down. I wish Kevin would wake up, find his balls and put out that cutting edge humor and indie gold we love him for.